Designer Emily Ruff recently took a stripped-back 1926 Seattle home and turned it into a warm, characterful space built for hosting, per Homes & Gardens. The house had been left without much of its original charm. Ruff brought it back with architectural details, English-inspired decorating, floral wallpapers, warm woods, brass, stone, and soft yellow tones.
You probably don't have a 100-year-old house to rescue. The good news is that the moves behind this project are repeatable in a newer home, a rental-adjacent space, or a plain renovation that feels a little too blank. Here's how to borrow them, starting with the ones that pay off fastest.
Start With Pattern, Especially Florals
Floral wallpaper is one of the headline ingredients in Ruff's retreat. Pattern does a lot of the work that age usually does: it makes a room look layered and lived in rather than freshly finished.
You don't need to cover every wall. Try these lower-commitment versions:
- A powder room or small entry. Small rooms are the easiest place to go bold, and a mistake is cheap to fix.
- One wall or the inside of a nook. A bookcase back or alcove gives you pattern without taking over.
- Peel-and-stick panels. They're a budget-friendly way to test a floral before you commit to the real thing.
- Fabric instead of paper. Curtains, pillows, or a lampshade in a floral print bring in the same feeling.
Use Soft Yellow Without Overdoing It
Soft yellow is part of the palette that gives this home its glow. The word that matters is soft. Think buttery and muted rather than bright.
A few ways to keep it easy:
- Let yellow show up in small doses first: a throw, a vase, a lampshade, or the ground color in a wallpaper.
- Pair it with warm neutrals so it reads as a gentle warmth, not a statement.
- Test a paint sample on two walls and look at it morning and evening before you commit.
If you're nervous, remember that yellow appears in this house alongside wood, brass, and stone. Those materials keep it grounded.
Build a Warm Material Mix
Ruff's palette leans on warm woods, brass, and stone. That combination does more than any single paint color to make a room feel collected over time.
You can copy the idea at almost any budget:
- Wood: Thrifted side tables, a vintage frame, or a wooden bowl on the counter.
- Brass: Swap cabinet pulls, add a small lamp, or pick up a candlestick from a secondhand shop.
- Stone: A marble cheese board, a stone tray, or a small tabletop piece can stand in for a bigger surface.
Aim for a mix rather than a match. Pieces that don't come from the same set look like they arrived at different points in the home's life.
Add Architectural Character
The project is built around restoring charm and continuity, and architectural details are a big part of that. Arched openings are one of the repeatable design moves worth noting from the project.
You may not be able to rebuild a doorway, but you can suggest the same feeling:
- Paint or frame a wall niche with an arched shape.
- Add an arched mirror or arched artwork where an opening is missing.
- Look at what your home already has, such as trim, built-ins, or a fireplace, and make it the star instead of hiding it.
Continuity matters here too. Repeating a color, wood tone, or finish from room to room helps the house feel like one story instead of a series of separate projects.
Borrow the English-Country Feel, Lightly
Ruff's approach is English-inspired, which fits a wider appetite for English country style and muted palettes. The trick to keeping it fresh is restraint. Pick two or three elements, such as a floral, a warm wood piece, and a vintage find, rather than going full cottage in every corner.
Vintage pieces are the easiest place to save money. Secondhand furniture and decor carry age you can't buy new, and they pair well with newer basics.
Design for Hosting
This home was designed with entertaining in mind, and warmth is a big reason it works. People linger in rooms that feel soft and inviting. A few practical translations:
- Put warm lighting at multiple heights instead of relying on an overhead fixture.
- Keep a surface clear near the entry or kitchen for drinks and snacks.
- Choose seating that feels comfortable instead of precious.
A Simple Plan for This Weekend
You don't need to do everything at once. Pick one pattern, one warm material, and one small architectural nod. A floral pillow, a brass pull or lamp, and an arched mirror would already shift a flat room toward something with history.
Then live with it for a few weeks. Old-home warmth comes from layers, and the best next piece is usually the one you find along the way.
